Snowblind
by MaReKrS
Summary: During a race in 1923, Steele's competitive nature causes him and a French-Canadian husky named Claude to become lost miles from Nome. Through many turns, Steele becomes snowblind, Claude is really Claudette, and the only way either can win is if they show up at the finish line. But once Claudette starts to care for him, she's no longer sure if she wants to win.
1. Chapter 1

_Nome, 1923_

It was just a normal day in the city of Nome, Alaska. Today, however, there was a sled race going on, one that Steele knew he was going to win. It was against his team and a team that had just arrived from Montreal, but was very experienced. At their lead was a husky named Claude, who was just as determined as Steele. As the two dogs were at each other's necks, Steele tried to push Claude off a short but steep cliff nearby.

"I'm not about to let someone beat me!" he yelled to the other dog. Claude pushed him back and replied.

"Think again, imbécile!" Claude returned the push. Unfortunately for both of them, this caused their harnesses to become tangled, and they eventually tore off from their teams and tumbled down the cliff, knocking them both unconscious. Claude woke up the next day, still with a slight headache. They looked around and had no idea where they were, but knew they had to get back in order to win. The snow was really coming down, but not enough to keep them from seeing. Suddenly, in front of them, they saw a dog. That was Steele! He ran to Claude but missed by about 3 inches. What happened? "Wait, wait, stay still. Let me see your eyes."

"No, I'm fine." Steele growled at them. He then rolled his eyes and silently agreed.

"I thought so. Well, Monsieur...?" They asked.

"Steele."

"Claude. Well, Steele, you appear to be snowblind." Steele nearly growled at Claude for saying that. "Hey, don't make me the scapegoat here." Claude sighed. "The girls are _not_ going to like this."

"The girls?"

"My sled team. I'm part of an all-girl sled team. Which means..."

"Wait, you're a..." Steele said, completely oblivious.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Claudette. Though people have called me Claude."


	2. Chapter 2

Steele had to admit, he was still confused. He had never thought that someone could be that close to beating him in a race, much less a _woman_.

"So, Claudette."

"Oh no, I said _some people_. Not you." she replied sarcastically. "If, one day, I forget that this is _your_ fault, then you can call me Claudette. Until then, call me Claude, s'il vous plaît." she finished, sounding nearly flirtatious. Steele looked down, even though he couldn't see, just so he could get out of this conversation.

"Okay. So, Claude. How long does this last? You know, me being blind?" he asked her. She just looked confused.

"Wait, wait. You...This hasn't happened to you before? I mean, I _assumed_ that this was normal but...Okay, everything's okay. Being snowblind, for me, usually lasts about a day or two." She felt like she didn't have to explain this. She had been snowblind enough times to know how long it lasts and how to get around it, but she'd spent most of her life in Canada. Was it different in Alaska? "Oh mon dieu. I just realized, the chances of you making it back alive are very small."

"Well what about you?" She just laughed slightly.

"Oh no, _I'm_ going to survive. It's _you_ I'm worried about." she replied, realizing she shouldn't have said it like that. Steele laughed as if he was flirting with her as well.

"Oh, so you worry about me? Well, that's a little forward, isn't it?"

"Just shut up before you learn that Canadians? Not all as nice as people think." She noticed a forest nearby and smiled. "Perfect. Steele, come with me. Wait, no, just...Just listen for me, okay?" He nodded as they walked towards it. "When I've been snowblind, I've just found it best to just sleep, and it clears it up pretty quickly. Besides, it's getting pretty dark anyway, so-" She paused as she looked at him. He was already asleep, which means he took her advice. He actually looked cute when he was asleep. Did she really just say that? "Hmm. Bonsoir, mon ami."


	3. Chapter 3

Claudette woke up, and was immediately worried. She looked everywhere that was near her, but couldn't find Steele! As much as she wanted to win, she didn't want to leave without him. It was almost as if she...cared about him? No, that couldn't have been it. It was also that if they both didn't cross, their teams would be disqualified. She calmed herself down, while banishing the near-romantic thoughts she had for Steele, and managed to make out his tracks in the snow. As relieved as she was, she knew she had to move fast before more snow covered them.

"Oh, Steele, où est-tu?" she said to herself before running in the prints' direction. She smiled as she was able to see a dog in the distance. But her happiness quickly faded. She began to see bigger prints in the snow, and she knew exactly what they came from. "Loups? Oh no. Steele!" She began to run even faster, who knows if he was able to fight back or not, if he was still snowblind? Claudette finally came up to three gray wolves, one of which came to her, while the other two were preventing Steele from doing the same.

"Claudette! They're not letting me leave." he said to her. She was so worried that she didn't even try to correct him. She stared the supposed lead wolf right in the eyes, and spoke to them.

"Let him go." The wolf just laughed slightly and replied.

"Oh my dear Claudette. I never though that you, of all dogs, would turn on your own kind." His words filled Claudette with a certain kind of anger that only a certain accusation could create. She growled at him and began to attack, only for him to scratch her and push her down. The leader looked back at the other two wolves and seemed to gesture to them to let Steele go. "But, I didn't say I wouldn't let you go without your friend." As the two huskies started to get far enough away from the wolves, Steele, once again oblivious, asked Claudette an important question.

"So...What did they mean by 'your own kind' back there?" Claudette just looked at him with an indirect look of light anger.

"Oh mon dieu, you're dense." She sighed and actually answered the question. "Look, I'm not a purebred husky like you. A few years back, my leader found me here, when I was very young. She didn't care that I was half-wolf, she loved me anyway." She finished, sounding both upset and sad. Steele looked down embarrassingly, because he didn't know what to think now about half-breeds. Claudette recognized that look and said in French, "Vous n'êtes pas seulement stupide, mais aussi raciste."


End file.
